Reforestation of Cut Over and Idle Lands 



ii 



expense. With lands worth $4 per acre, cost of planting $7 per acre 

 and money at 4 per cent., it will result as follows for White Pine: 



This table will bear careful study as it is taken from a large number 

 of studies made from the growth of planted White Pine under condi- 

 tions very similar to those existing in the county. What does the 

 table show? It indicates that land of poor quality is capable of pro- 

 ducing valuable returns. Up to 25 or 30 years of age, the diameter is 

 small and the material has to be used for poles or fuel or pulp and 

 boxboards. The Stumpage value is around $6 per thousand feet. 

 From that age on it puts on timber rapidly and the quality of the 

 timber is ever better. It will bring $8 per thousand feet and yield a 

 net return at the age of 35 to 50 of over $4 per acre per year. At 

 about 60 years of age it yields the highest return which is $6 per acre 

 per year. From the time the timber has passed 35 years of age until 

 it reaches 60, it can be cut at any time and will return a greater value 

 per acre than the value of the land if used in any other way. It 

 shows further that one can afford to pay somewhat more than $4 an 

 acre for land that is now idle and reforest it with every assurance 

 that it will make a profitable long time investment. Approximately 

 the same results as described for the White Pine can be obtained by 

 using Norway Pine, Norway Spruce, Western Red Fir and such hard- 

 woods as the Ash and Red Oak. These last must be put into some- 

 what different soils and different locations than the conifers described 

 above and yet the results of plantations of these species show that 

 very excellent returns can be gotten even on the worst bits of idle 

 land in the farms of the State. 



